Direction signal



Filed June 25 1925 3 sheets-Sheet I SWW/nto@ I 0' abbinato Jan. 4 1927. 1,613,019

J. J. CAUDLE DIRECTION SIGNAL vFiled June 26 192s s sheets-sheet I VIM Jan. 4, 1927.

J. J. CAUDLE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed June 26. v1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ya@ M UJI Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

1,613,019 PATE'Ni- JOSEPH J. CAUDLE, OF RICHIEMONII), VIRGINIA.

DIREC'llON .SGNAL- Application nea Jupe y2e, 19.25. serieu no. 39,1.'z5e.

This invention relates to signaling devices for vehicles and particularly to a signal adapted to be mounted at the side of an automobile for indicating the drivers intended course to tratlic in rear front and left'side of him.

One object of the invention is to produce a signaling device having a movable arm or semaphore which may be caused to assume any one of a plurality of positions each of which will impart a desired signal o r information to traffic at' the rear7 front and left side of the ca r on which the rcle-.ice is carried. ln conjunction with such arm there is also provided a lamp which will display any one of a number o 'i' colered lights, the color displayed depending 'upon the position assumed by said armV so that the diii'erent colors, at night, may be utilized for giving the signal given by the arm d uring the day.

With this and other objects in view the present invention consists incertain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described. and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a front view' of the device, only a portion of the machine frame being shown. The semaphore or. signaling arm is shown in full in. its lowermost position and in dotted lines in the other positions it may assume. 1

Fig, 2 is a side view of the exterior of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on tle line --ll of Fig. l. f

Fig. 5. is a sectional view on the line 5f?) f Fig. 17 the arm in this igure,h0wever, being shown vin its horizontal'positiqn.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view onV the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 f TN 5 8 is a detail view with the arm moved a niort distance in its. horizontal position..

9. a transverse setion ofthe lamp. Fig, 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lamp.

Fi-g. 1 1 is a plan view of a modi-fied form of the device particularly adapted for use on open cars.

attached to. the v Fig. 12 is an elevational view of the modified construction.

As has before been generally described the device comprises van` arm or'seinaphore which is adapted to bey moved to of' a plurality of positions ina plane at an eef-le to the' herzontal, the arm usually being adapted to be positio-ed in ahori- Zontal plane to indicate'thattfe dr"` i tends to stop; Vto ya position wher it eaiflds upwardly at an angle of approdin natelyI 450 t'tllellOiiZO loi tethat the driver is about to. malte a l hand turn; and to a position where it endsy dawn angle of'approximately i450 to the horizontal "to indicate that the 'driver is about'to malte a right hand turnl and to a subs depending vert-ical' position wljien it is'not l intended to give a signalf In the prefled construction sai-d arm" or semaphore Yl0 pivoted on a horizontal anis, 'ascii the end of a shaft 11 which is j ouraledj in a ysupporting frame 12 located' atthe exterior of' the frame or partition 13 of the"ve r tical body, this supporting -frame being hide bedvs 'will be' later described. lhilje yarious i mehanisins may be' employed for swinging arm 1 aboutits pivotal center,` thatv shown inV theL 'py-Stent Vinstfmce @Olllplses f1 still 145 fast QD shalt 1 1 and adapted to'bel rotatediby a gear such as worm 15 which is mountedon a shaft 16 journaled in the supporting framev 12I4 at right angles to shaftf @11. 'This' shaft 16 extends through the partitionl o f the car the' drivers s eat'and 'on this innen end of the sliaft crank 1 7' easily accessible to the driver so that he `may`rotate -the saine and impart the desired movement to the semaphore or arm 10jA To hold'y the arm 1Q in any of its desired posifions'tliere is a notched segmental member 18 on the'inner end ofthe shaft 16 the crank 117' has a movable lugli) which Vis f-,Zieldingly maintained in engagement with the notched snrface of said segmental `m`ember whereby when the arm is moved toi any one of its positions the lug 19 will engage in one of theV notches of the segment'and prevent movement of the arm until it is withdrawn therefrom.

During the day, the arm is plainly visible to traliicy in rear, front yand left side of the vehicle von which thev device is mounted so that the signal intended to' be imparted by the position to Which the arm is moved is readily made known. However, this is not true at night and for this reason a lamp 2O is provided at the outer end of the arm. rlhe shade or globe of said lamp has a multiplicity of vari-colored lenses, one color for each of the signaling positions of the arm and said shade is adapted to be revolved about the lamp in order to display the particular color which has the same significance as the position Which is occupied by the arm at the time such color is exhibited. This rotation or revolving of the lamp shade is effected automatically upon actuation of the operating crank i7 so that the turning of the crank by the driver is the only operation he need perform to move the arm to its desired position and to display the desired colored light.

The preferred arrangement for accomplishing the simultaneous movement of the arm and shade consists of a sleeve 22 rotatably secured on the arm 10, the outer end of said sleeve 22 supporting the shade or globe 21 and the inner end of said sleeve being formed With a collar 23 and a pair of teeth 24-34:. rlhe collar 23 has two flattened faces25-351Witl1'alug26 formed between them and these elements are adapted to cooperate With a recessed arcuate surface 27 of a segmental shaped member 2S mounted on the supporting frame 12. Also sup'- ported on the frame is a pin 29, this pin and the notch 30 in the. arcuate surface 27 being located at the point occupied by the frame `when the latter is in its horizontal position.

Assuming the arm 10 to be in its depending vertical position (the position occupied by it When no signal is to be given) it will be seen that the flat face of the collar on the sleeve 22 abuts against the arcuate surface 27 and prevents rotation of said sleeve but if the crank 17, Which is in the loWermost notch in member 18, is now moved to the nent higher notch the arm 10 will be moved approximately 45 to the position to indicate that a right hand turn is to be made. This movement of the arm, however, will not result in any turning of the sleeve or lamp shade, the flat face 25 of the collar remaining against the arcuate surface 27 but if the crank should be moved to the nent higher notch to bring the arm to the horizontal position it will be seen that lower toot-h 2e Will engage the pin 29 just before arm 10 reaches the horizontal with the result that the sleeve 22 Will be rotated on the arm onesiXth of a complete revolution. This partial rotation of the sleeve causes the lug 26 on notch 30 Will tend to restrain movement of sleeve 22 with arm 10 With the result that said sleeve will be given a further rotation of approximately one-sixth of a complete revolution and the upper fiat face of the collar 23 will be brought into engagement With the upper portion of the surface of the arcuate member 27 to prevent accidental rotation of the lamp shade so long as the arm is in this uppermost position.

l/Vhen crank 17 is moved doivnvvar t( return the arm 10 to its depending vertica position the other tooth on the sleeve cnthe pin 29 as the arm approaches the horizontal and effects a one-sixth revolution of the sleeve and shade in a vertical direction, bringing the lug 26 again into the not/l1 30 so that as the arin moves belovv the notch the lug engaging the lower side ef said notch will effect a further one-sixth revolution ef the arm and sleeve to restore the lampshade to the position originally occupied by it.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the lamp shade is given a ene-sixth revolution each time it is moved from one position to its next adjacent position. Therefore, the shade is divided into sin segments, three sets of diametrically opposed lenses being arranged around the shades with the lenses of each pair of the same color so that the same color light Will be displayed fore and aft of the vehicle. 'llo'prevent other confusing lights being shovvn or displayed by the lamp a shield or screen 81 is secured in the interior of the lamp in {i1-:ed relation to the source of light and the shade. This shade or screen is formed with openings which Will permit rays of light to be prejected fore and aft of the vehicle but which Will prevent the projection of light to the side. rlhis screen can be fixedly secured te the outer extremity of the arm 10 as by a set screw 33 and, as Will be apparent, when the arm 10 is moved to one of its positions one of the sets of lenses will be brought inte registry With the openings 32 to display the desired colored light.

Any desired colors may, of course, be used for the lenses of the lamp shade, altheugh if the horizontal position of the arm is te indicate stop, it is preferred a red lens be arranged in the shade so as to be brought into registry With openings 32 when the arm is in horizontal position as this color is most generally used at the present day in various stop signals new used on auton mobiles.

ln the modified form of construction for use on cars of the open type the segmental member 28 havingthe arcuate surface 27 is supported by a clamp which may be clipped to one of the upright members of the windshield frame, this arcuate surface being arranged concentrically of the pivotal center of a shaft or swivel pin l1 Iiournaled Leisnig in the supporting frame 12, the swivel pin carrying the arm 10 in the saine manner as the arm is supported by shaft 11 in the preferred construction. The sleeve 22 carrying the lampshade is journaled on arm 10 and is provided with the teeth 241-34 and the collar 23 Which cooperate with the pin), the arcuate surface 27, and the notch '3 0 in said sL1i`-ace,in the same manner as in the preferred construction to eti'ect the rotation of said slee-ve and lamp shade. In this modiiied form, however, the gears, the shaft 16 and the other parts that are located on the interior of the ear in the closed car type of the device are omitted and in lieu thereof the inner end oii arm 10 has pivotally secured thereon a. handle 42 which is yieldingly held by a spring 43 in engagement with a continuation of the arcuate surface 2T in Wliigh there are a series of notches le in Which' the proximate end @t5 of handle 42 may engage to hold arm lO-in any of its adjusted positions. y

Fromthe foregoing it is readily apparent that the present signaling device is susceptible of use eitherduring the day or atnight with the advantage that it is located in identically the same Way at all times to give the same signal. In other Words, if the lights are to be used forV signals as at night time instead of the positions of the arm being used as in the day time the driver docs not have to carry in his mind a diii'erent series of operations. Isle always operatesthe device in the same Way at all times. Furthermore., the present arrangement for effecting the rotation of the lamp shade to disp-lay the-various colors is positive in its action; functions simply by the driver operating the crank 17 and, insures the proper colored liOht being displayed Without any adjustments on the part of the operator except in so :tar as he is called uponto move the crank into registry with one of the notches in the y segmental member for locking the o1 erating handle in its various positions.

lli/hat I claim is: 4

1. In a signaling device for vehicles, the combination of an arm at the side of the vehicle movable in a planeat an angle to the horizontal, a light carried yat the outer extremity of said arm, a sleeve rotatable on said arm, a multi-colored shade on said sleeve enclosing said light, means for simultaneously raising or lowering said arm and revolving said sleeve on said arm and means for locking said sleeve and `shade against rotation at any one of a series of points in their-rotation about their centers.

2. In a signaling device for vehicles, the combination of an arm at the side of the vehicle movable in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a light carried at the outer eX- tremity of said arm, a sleeve rotatable on said arm, a nnilti-colored shade on said sleeveV enclosing said light, means tor simul-v taneously raising or lowering said armand :revolvingy said sleeve on said arm, means :tor locking said sleeve and shade against rotation at any one ot'- a desired number of points in their rota'tionabout their centers andscreens carriedby said arm in proximity` to said light tov prevent passage of rays through certain portions of themulti-colored shade. A

3. In arsignalingdevice for vehicles, the combination' ofli' a supporting frame, an arm piivoted on the trame to.l move in a vertical plane, asleeve on said a1-.ima light carried on the arm, shade on said sleeve' enclosing said light, connections operable from the interior of the vehiclet'or raisingvor lowering said arm, al" Iin on. said supporting i'ramefand a pair of cooperating teeth on saidsleeve engageablewith saidrpin to. revolve said sleeve and' shade on the arm as the latter is raised oi'f.-loivered.

4L. In a.. signaling device for vehicles, the combination/o a.: supporting frame, an arm pivotedV on said traine, meansfor moving said arm to any one of a plurality. ofpositions in a-plane at angleftoxthe horizontal, a source oli light carried `by said arm and having a shade comprising vari-colored lenses the colors corresponding in numbers to the number. ot positions said arm may assume, a screen partlyl surroundingv said light, means for 4revolving said shade to position a certain-color in registry with the open portions of the screen dependingfupon the position said arm a.ndmcans 'for locking said sleeve and shade against. rotation at any one orf. a series ort'.- points in their rotation about their centers.v

5. lIn a signaling" device lfor vehicles, the combination' of a supporting'frame, an'arm .pivoted on said trame, meansrfor moving said arm to any one of a pluralityot positions in a plane at an angle tothe horizontalf, a source. of light y carried by .said arm f and having a shade'. comprising vari-colored lenses, the colors correspondingin numbers to the number of positions said arm may assume, a screen partly surrounding said light, means .forrrevolving said shade t-o display a different color for cach position the arm may assume and meansV for lockingy said sleeve and shade. against rotationl at 'any one of a series ot points in their rotation about their centers;

6. In a signaling device for vehicles, the combination of an arm positioned at the side ofthe car andy movable in a plane at an angle to the lhorizontal whereby said arm may assume any one cfa plurality ol signaling positions, meansfor swinging lsaid arm to move it to any one of saidv positions. ai lamp carried on said arm and having a shade' composed of varied. colors, one color for each. posi-tion the arm .may assume, a

f im

illu

illi) screen partially surrounding the source of light in said lamp, means operable by the movement of said arm to revolve said shade to display a different color for each position of the arm and means for locking said sleeve and shade .against rotation at any one of a series of points in their rotation about their centers.

7. In a signaling device for vehicles, the combination of an arm positioned at the side of the car and movable in a plane at an angle to 'the horizontal whereby said arm may assume any one of a plurality of signaling positions, means for swinging said arm to move it to any one of said positions, a lamp carried on said arm, a sleeve on said arm, a shade on said sleeve for said lamp, said shade having a plurality of colored lenses, a screen partially surrounding the source of light for said lamp, means operable by movement of said arm to revolve the sleeve and shade to display a different color for each position the arm may assume and means for locking said sleeve and shade against rotation at any one of a series of points in their rotation about their' centers.

8. In a signaling` device for vehicles, the combination of an arm positioned at the side of the car and movable in a plane at an angle to the horizontal whereby said arm may assume any one of a plurality of signal- 'ing positions, means for swinging said arm to move it to any one of said positions, a lamp carried on said arm and having a shade composed of varied colors, one color for each position the arm may assume, said shade being rotatable about the source of light of the lamp, means operable by the movement of said arm to revolve said shade to display a different color for each position of the arm and means for locking said sleeve and shade against rotation at any one of a series of points in their rotation about their centers.

9. In a signaling device for vehicles, a supporting frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle, a swinging arm pivoted on said frame, a sleeve rotatable on said arm, a lamp on the arm, a lamp shade on said sleeve, means for revolving said sleeve and shade as the arm is moved about its pivotal center to anyone of a plurality of positions, and means on said sleeve and frame for locking said sleeve and shade against rotation while the arm is in any one of its positions.

10. ln a signaling device for vehicles, a supporting frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle, a swinging arm pivoted on Said frame, a sleeve rotatable on said arm, a lamp on the arm, a lamp shade on said sleeve, means for revolving said sleeve and shade as the arm is moved about its pivotal center to any one of a plurality of positions, and means for locking said sleeve and shade ling a flat-tened surface adapted to abut said arcuate fiat surface at the side of said recess t when said lug is moved out of the recess.

ll. In a signaling device for vehicles, a

supporting frame adapted -to be attached to the vehicle, a swinging arm pivoted on said frame, a sleeve rotatable on said arm,

a lamp on the arm, a lamp shade on said sleeve, means for revolving said sleeve and shade as the arm is moved about its pivotal center to any one of a plurality of positions, and means for locking said sleeve and shade against rotation while the arm is in lany one of its positions, said locking means comprising an arcuate fiat surface arranged concentric to the pivotal center of the arm, said surface having a recess therein, a collar on said sleeve having a lug thereon adapted to enter said recess when said arm is in an intermediate position and said collar having a flattened face at each side of said lug to engage said arcuate liat surface at the sides of said recess when said arm is above or below its intermediate position.

l2. In a signaling device for vehicles, a supporting frame, a swinging arm pivoted on the frame, a sleeve rotatable on the arm, a lamp on the arm having a shade carried by said sleeve, means revolving said sleeve and shade as the arm is moved about its pivotal center to any one of a plurality of positions, and means for locking the shade against rotation while the arm is in any of its positions, said means for revolving the sleeve comprising a pin on the frame, and a pair of. teeth on the sleeve engageable with said pin to impart a partial rotation to the sleeve when the arm is moved about its center.

13. In a signaling device for vehicles, a supporting frame adapted to be attached to the vehicle, a swinging arm pivoted on the frame, a sleeve rotatable on said arm, a lamp on the arm, said lamp having a shade supported by and rotatable with said sleeve, means for revolving said sleeve and shade as the arm is moved about its pivotal center to any one of a plurality of positions, and means for locking said sleeve and shade against rotation while the arm is located in any one of its positions, said means for revolving the sleeve and shade comprising a pin on said frame, a pair of teeth carried by the sleeve and engaged with the opposite sides of said pin to impart a partial rotation to the sleeve when the arm is moved from one position to another, a pair of stops carried by said frame and a lug projecting from said sleeve and adapted to enter between said stops whereby one of said stops will hold said sleeve and again partially rotat-e it upon further movement of the arm about its center of swinging movement.

141. In a .signaling device for vehicles, a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the vehicle, a lamp movable about a pivotal center to a plurality of positions in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, the shade of said lamp having a plurality of vari-colored lenses corresponding in number to the number of Y positions said lamp may assume, means for revolving the shade of said lamp to display a different colored light in each 'one of the positions assumed by said lamp and means for locking said sleeve and shade against rotation at any one of a series of points in their rotation about their centers.

15. In a signaling device for vehicles, the combination of a supporting frame adapted to be mountedl at the exterior of the side of a car of the closed type, a shaft j ournaled in said frame, an arm mounted on said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said frame and extending into the interior of the car, an operating'lever at the inner end of the inwardly extending shaft, means for transmitting motion from said shaft to the shaft carrying said arm whereby said arm may be moved to any one of a plurality of positions in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a source of light carried by said arm, a shade surrounding said source of light, means for` pivotally revolving said shade around said source of light as said arm is moved from one position to another and means for locking the sleeve and shade in their several positions.

16. In a signaling device lfor vehicles, the combination of a supporting frame adapted to be mounted at the exterior of the side of a car of the closed type, a shaft journaled in said frame, an arm mounted on said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said .frame and extending into the interior of the car, an operating lever at the inner end of the inwardly extending shaft, means for transmitting motion from said shaft to the shaft carrying said arm whereby said arm may be moved to any one of a plurality of positions in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a source of light carried by said arm, asleeve rotatable on said arm, a shade mounted on the sleeve and surrounding said source -of light, an abutment on the supporting frame,'teeth on said sleeve adapted to engage said abutment and partially rotate said sleeve in opposite directions as said arm passes said pin, a pair of spaced abutments on saidsupporting frame, and a projection on said sleeve adapted to engage said abutments to further rotate said sleeve on the arm as the latter passes said abutments.

17. In a signaling device for vehicles, the combination of a supporting frame adapted to be mounted at the exterior of the side of a car of the closed type, a shaft j ournaled in said frame, an arm mounted on said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said frame and extending into the interior of the car, an operating lever at the inner end of the inwardly extending shaft, means for transmitting motion from said shaft to the shaft carrying said arm whereby said arm may be moved to any one of a plurality of positions in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a source of light carried by said arm, a sleeve rotatable ony said arm, a shade mounted on said sleeve and surrounding said source of light, an arcuate flat surface arranged concentrically of the pivotal center of said arm, there being a recess in said arcuate flat surface forming opposed abutments, a pin carried by said supporting frame, teeth on said sleeve engageable with said pin to partially rotate said sleeve as the arm passes said pin, a projection on said sleeve engageable with the abutments formed by the recess in said arcuate surface for further rotating said sleeve as the arm passes said abut-` ments, and a collar formed on said sleeve having substantially flat faces adapted to engage the arcuate flat surface at opposite sides of said notch to prevent rotation of said sleeve after the arm has passed to either side of said pin and notch.

JOSEPH J. CAUDLE.v 

